One of the most esteemed leagues in sports history, the NBA was started in 1946. A total of 30 teams are divided into six divisions, three in each, the Eastern and Western Conference. Talents from across the globe have played in the NBA and made a fortune for themselves, as NBA players are known to be one of the best paid athletes in the world.
The Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is chosen from the five best performing players in the regular season by a voting panel. The first place vote is worth 10 points, while the second place vote is worth seven points. The third place, fourth place and fifth place votes are worth five points, three points and one point respectively.
The first MVP was awarded in 1955, nine years after the NBA was founded. The winner is awarded with the Michael Jordan Trophy, who is regarded by many as the greatest of all time.
Below is the list of NBA MVPs by year:
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team with MVP count till respective year |
| 1955–56 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1956–57 | Bob Cousy | Point guard | United States | Boston Celtics |
| 1957–58 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (2) |
| 1958–59 | Bob Pettit | Power forward | United States | St. Louis Hawks (2) |
| 1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1960–61 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (3) |
| 1961–62 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (4) |
| 1962–63 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (5) |
| 1963–64 | Oscar Robertson | Point guard | United States | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1964–65 | Bill Russell | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (6) |
| 1965–66 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1966–67 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (2) |
| 1967–68 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (3) |
| 1968–69 | Wes Unseld | Center | United States | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1969–70 | Willis Reed | Center | United States | New York Knicks |
| 1970–71 | Lew Alcindor | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1971–72 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks (2) |
| 1972–73 | Dave Cowens | Center | United States | Boston Celtics (7) |
| 1973–74 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks (3) |
| 1974–75 | Bob McAdoo | Center | United States | Buffalo Braves |
| 1975–76 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1976–77 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (2) |
| 1977–78 | Bill Walton | Center | United States | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1978–79 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets |
| 1979–80 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (3) |
| 1980–81 | Julius Erving | Small forward | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (4) |
| 1981–82 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Houston Rockets (2) |
| 1982–83 | Moses Malone | Center | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (5) |
| 1983–84 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics (8) |
| 1984–85 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics (9) |
| 1985–86 | Larry Bird | Small forward | United States | Boston Celtics (10) |
| 1986–87 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (4) |
| 1987–88 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–89 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (5) |
| 1989–90 | Magic Johnson | Point guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (6) |
| 1990–91 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (2) |
| 1991–92 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (3) |
| 1992–93 | Charles Barkley | Power forward | United States | Phoenix Suns |
| 1993–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Center | Nigeria | Houston Rockets (3) |
| 1994–95 | David Robinson | Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1995–96 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (4) |
| 1996–97 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz |
| 1997–98 | Michael Jordan | Shooting guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (5) |
| 1998–99 | Karl Malone | Power forward | United States | Utah Jazz (2) |
| 1999–00 | Shaquille O'Neal | Center | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (7) |
| 2000–01 | Allen Iverson | Shooting guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers (6) |
| 2001–02 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs (2) |
| 2002–03 | Tim Duncan | Power forward | United States | San Antonio Spurs (3) |
| 2003–04 | Kevin Garnett | Power forward | United States | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2004–05 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns (2) |
| 2005–06 | Steve Nash | Point guard | Canada | Phoenix Suns (3) |
| 2006–07 | Dirk Nowitzki | Power forward | Germany | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2007–08 | Kobe Bryant | Shooting guard | United States | Los Angeles Lakers (8) |
| 2008–09 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2009–10 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers (2) |
| 2010–11 | Derrick Rose | Point guard | United States | Chicago Bulls (6) |
| 2011–12 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat |
| 2012–13 | LeBron James | Small forward | United States | Miami Heat (2) |
| 2013–14 | Kevin Durant | Small forward | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2014–15 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors (2) |
| 2015–16 | Stephen Curry | Point guard | United States | Golden State Warriors (3) |
| 2016–17 | Russell Westbrook | Point guard | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder (2) |
| 2017–18 | James Harden | Shooting guard | United States | Houston Rockets (4) |
| 2018–19 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks (4) |
| 2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Power forward | Greece | Milwaukee Bucks (5) |
| 2020–21 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets |
| 2021–22 | Nikola Jokić | Center | Serbia | Denver Nuggets (2) |
| 2022–23 | Joel Embiid | Center | Cameroon | Philadelphia 76ers (7) |
Multiple MVP Winners
| Awards | Player | Teams | Year |
| 6 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks (3) / Los Angeles Lakers (3) | 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980 |
| 5 | Bill Russell | Boston Celtics | 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965 |
| Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998 | |
| 4 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia Warriors (1) / Philadelphia 76ers (3) | 1960, 1966, 1967, 1968 |
| LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers (2) / Miami Heat (2) | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 | |
| 3 | Moses Malone | Houston Rockets (2) / Philadelphia 76ers (1) | 1979, 1982, 1983 |
| Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | 1984, 1985, 1986 | |
| Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 1987, 1989, 1990 | |
| 2 | Bob Pettit | St. Louis Hawks | 1956, 1959 |
| Karl Malone | Utah Jazz | 1997, 1999 | |
| Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | 2002, 2003 | |
| Steve Nash | Phoenix Suns | 2005, 2006 | |
| Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | 2015, 2016 | |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | 2019, 2020 | |
| Nikola Jokić | Denver Nuggets | 2021, 2022 |
FAQs
A. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the regular season MVP award six times, the most in NBA history.
A. Bob Pettit was the first ever NBA MVP in 1956.
A. Michael Jordan has won the Finals MVP a record six times.
A. Michael Jordan and Karl Malone are the oldest NBA stars to win the MVP. They both won it at the age of 35.
A. Michael Jordan won six rings with the Chicago Bulls. He was undefeated in the NBA Finals.
